My rating: 4.8/5

The epic fantasy novel The Heart of What Was Lost by Tad Williams is an excellent continuation of the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy, picking up right after the events of To Green Angel Tower. Returning to this world after a long hiatus, the author delivers a bridge novel that masterfully sets the stage for his new series, The Last King of Osten Ard. I absolutely love Williams' writing style and character development; he draws the reader in like a true artist, ultimately leaving you to question who is truly good and who is not.

The world was nearly brought to ruin when the Storm King Ineluki, an undead spirit of terrifying demonic power, almost stopped time and wiped out the human race. He was ultimately defeated by a coalition of mortals and his immortal kin, the Sithi. The surviving loyalists of Ineluki, the Norns, retreated north toward their mountain kingdom, committing atrocities against human villages along the way. In hot pursuit was an army of northerners led by Duke Isgrimnur, who fought the Norns with merciless ferocity. Driven by the horrors the Norns left in their wake, the Duke became determined to eradicate their kind at all costs. The clashes with the surviving, pale-skinned Norns were deadly, leaving everyone uncertain if they would survive to see the next day. To make matters worse, the dark sorcery employed by the Norns hung heavily over the conflict. Despite their formidable magic, the Norns were severely outnumbered, a tactical advantage Duke Isgrimnur fully intended to exploit. Losses on both sides were catastrophic, yet the Duke refused to halt his advance until the threat was permanently destroyed. Whether he would succeed, only the Gods knew.

I highly recommend this book to all fans of epic fantasy.